NOAA’s National Database for Deep-Sea Corals and Sponges: Data Set Dashboard (Program)

NOAA Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program (DSCRTP)

Report last ran on 2025-10-06

Go back to data set index page: LINK

Please send feedback if you notice any problems with this data set.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz, Submersible Surveys

  • Dataset ID: NOAA_SWFSC_Submersible
  • Database Version: 20251001-0
  • Data Provider: NOAA, Southwest Fisheries Science Center
  • Data Contact: Yoklavich, Mary: | Laidig, Tom:

Locator Map

Geographic Range

  • Ocean: North Pacific
  • Fishery Management Council Region(s): Pacific
  • Large Marine Ecosystem(s): California Current
  • Marine Ecoregion(s): Northern California, Southern California Bight

Bounding box

Coordinates are in WGS 84: EPSG:4326

  • Minimum Latitude: 33.39083
  • Maximum Latitude: 37.0303
  • Minimum Longitude: -122.43792
  • Maximum Longitude: -117.99017

Overview

Note: The numbers below only reflect published records. Additional records may be retained by the Program for further review.

  • Number of records: 31,224
  • Number of coral records: 11,682
  • Number of sponge records: 19,542
  • Records with images: 0
  • Record type(s): video observation
  • Minimum depth (meters): 24
  • Maximum depth (meters): 406
  • Number of records flagged as <50 meters depth: 254
  • Time frame: 1992 to 2011

Data Set Description: This is a subset of the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program’s National Database. The data were provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Santa Cruz. Changes to the original dataset may have been made to conform to the National Database Schema and for quality control purposes. The data represent observations of corals and sponges encountered during video transects conducted by submersible. Further information can be found at: https://www.int-res.com/articles/meps_oa/m494p159.pdf

Data Set Level Citation

NOAA, Southwest Fisheries Science Center. Observation date range: 1992 to 2011. Coral or sponge occurrence observations submitted to the NOAA National Database for Deep Sea Corals and Sponges (www.deepseacoraldata.noaa.gov). Principal investigator: Yoklavich, Mary. DSCRTP Dataset ID: NOAA_SWFSC_Submersible. Database version: 20251001-0.

Note: Individual records within a data set may have additional citations in the ‘Citation’ field.

Taxonomic Summary

Percent of coral, sponge, and fish records by lowest taxonomic rank.

Corals

Number of coral records: 11,682

Taxon rank Percent of all
coral records
class 34 %
order 0 %
family 1 %
genus 13 %
species 39 %
variety 2 %
NA 10 %

Sponges

Number of sponge records: 19,542

Taxon rank Percent of all
sponge records
phylum 88 %
family 0 %
genus 7 %
subgenus 2 %
species 3 %

Fishes

Number of fish records: 0

## No fish records in this data set.

Coral Taxa Observed

Note: Nothing will appear here if no coral taxa were observed.

ScientificName AphiaID Order Family Records
Acanthogorgia 125293 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 797
Adelogorgia phyllosclera 289357 Malacalcyonacea Gorgoniidae 221
Anthoptilum grandiflorum 128504 Scleralcyonacea Anthoptilidae 2
Antipathes dendrochristos 283893 Antipatharia Antipathidae 1251
Balticina californica 1392940 Scleralcyonacea Balticinidae 287
Callistephanus 1473059 Malacalcyonacea Gorgoniidae 588
Callistephanus pacificus 1567760 Malacalcyonacea Gorgoniidae 244
Callistephanus simplex 1608733 Malacalcyonacea Gorgoniidae 5
Chromoplexaura marki 724231 Malacalcyonacea Gorgoniidae 506
Clavularia 125286 Malacalcyonacea Clavulariidae 2
Desmophyllum dianthus 135159 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 45
Desmophyllum pertusum 1245747 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 162
Eugorgia rubens 289935 Malacalcyonacea Gorgoniidae 532
Heteropolypus ritteri 724715 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 194
Leptogorgia chilensis 286222 Malacalcyonacea Gorgoniidae 282
Malacalcyonacea 1609357 Malacalcyonacea NA 2
Octocorallia 1341 NA NA 4019
Paragorgia 125326 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 5
Paragorgia arborea var. pacifica 1647393 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 250
Paragorgia stephencairnsi 286608 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 3
Parastenella ramosa 290684 Scleralcyonacea Primnoidae 6
Pennatula phosphorea 128517 Scleralcyonacea Pennatulidae 1
Pennatulidae 128484 Scleralcyonacea Pennatulidae 94
Pennatuloidea 1609360 Scleralcyonacea NA 1211
Placogorgia 125312 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 3
Plexauridae 125277 Malacalcyonacea Plexauridae 35
Plumarella longispina 287671 Scleralcyonacea Primnoidae 811
Ptilosarcus 267795 Scleralcyonacea Pennatulidae 78
Scleractinia 1363 Scleractinia NA 39
Stylaster californicus 285860 Anthoathecata Stylasteridae 1
Stylasteridae 22805 Anthoathecata Stylasteridae 1
Swiftia 125314 Malacalcyonacea Plexauridae 4
Virgularia 128503 Scleralcyonacea Virgulariidae 1

Sponge Taxa Observed

Note: Nothing will appear here if no sponge taxa were observed.

ScientificName AphiaID Order Family Records
Acanthascus (Rhabdocalyptus) dawsoni 171980 Lyssacinosida Rossellidae 4
Acanthascus (Staurocalyptus) 171991 Lyssacinosida Rossellidae 46
Asbestopluma 131893 Poecilosclerida Cladorhizidae 1053
Farrea occa 134391 Sceptrulophora Farreidae 214
Haliclona 131834 Haplosclerida Chalinidae 6
Haliclona (Gellius) 131922 Haplosclerida Chalinidae 304
Heterochone calyx 171636 Sceptrulophora Aphrocallistidae 141
Mycale 131907 Poecilosclerida Mycalidae 22
Polymastia 132046 Polymastiida Polymastiidae 346
Porifera 558 NA NA 17180
Rhizaxinella gadus 170824 Suberitida Suberitidae 91
Spheciospongia confoederata 170531 Clionaida Clionaidae 1
Stylocordyla 132063 Suberitida Stylocordylidae 19
Tethyidae 131677 Tethyida Tethyidae 8
Thenea muricata 134106 Tetractinellida Theneidae 107

Fish Taxa Observed

Note: Nothing will appear here if no fish taxa were observed.

## No fish records in this data set.

Please send feedback if you notice any problems with this data set.

Go back to data set index page: LINK